TEL AVIV — An Israeli Hebrew channel reported
on Wednesday evening that the Israeli army has started preparing to invade the
city of Rafah, anticipating the collapse of ongoing negotiations with Hamas in
Doha.
اضافة اعلان
According to the private Hebrew Channel 12,
"Despite American pressures, Israel has begun its preparations to act in
Rafah and has taken concrete steps on the ground in preparation for the
operation in case the deal with the captives collapses."
It added, "At the same time, Defense
Minister (Yoav) Galant is coordinating the military operation in Rafah with his
counterparts in Washington."
The Qatari capital, Doha, has been witnessing
indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas through Qatari and Egyptian
mediation for days, but so far, they have not resulted in a prisoner exchange
deal, Al-Ghad reported.
The channel said, "The army's
preparations include a plan to deal with tunnels, attack command rooms, and
houses where Hamas leaders are hiding, and to eliminate movement members."
It continued, "In preparation for the future
operation in Rafah, and as part of dealing with the civilian population
residing in Rafah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the purchase
of 40,000 tents from China for Gaza."
According to the channel, "The tents will
be transferred to Gaza immediately upon arrival in Israel, and clear locations
will be designated for them in the sector, where the tents will be set up, and
refugees will be transferred to them."
On the other hand, John Kirby, a spokesperson
for the US National Security Council, reiterated in an interview with the same
channel on Wednesday evening the United States' rejection of a military
operation in the crowded city of Rafah with displaced persons.
He said, "We believe that conducting a
large-scale ground operation in Rafah is a mistake."
He added, "We simply cannot support a
large ground assault in Rafah that does not include a verifiable and achievable
plan to ensure the safety of 1.5 million Gaza residents who have found refuge
there due to the operations in the north, Khan Yunis, and previously in Gaza
City."
About the warning about the
"consequences" of the military operation in Rafah, which Kamala
Harris, the US Vice President, emphasized, Kirby said, "As the Vice
President also said, I will not speculate or engage in virtual scenarios here. We
believe that there are other ways to pursue Hamas in Rafah, while Israel once
again has every right to do so, but in a way that does not endanger these
individuals, refugees."
On Sunday, Harris said in an interview with
ABC News that she does not rule out "consequences for Israel if it
proceeds with its military incursion into Rafah."
She added, "We have been clear in
multiple talks and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah
would be a serious mistake."
Many countries, including the United States,
have asked Israel not to carry out any military action in Rafah without
ensuring the safe evacuation of over a million Palestinian civilians.
The United States has repeatedly stressed in
recent weeks that Israel has not presented any reliable plan regarding the
evacuation of civilians from Rafah.
Israel, which has killed tens of thousands of
Palestinians in its destructive war on the Gaza Strip, forced most Palestinians
in the north and center of the Strip to flee to the adjacent city of Rafah,
claiming it is a "safe area." However, it later targeted Rafah with
some airstrikes, resulting in dozens of casualties.
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